Path to the Stars
by SoundsLikeLiar
Summary: When cats die, their warrior ancestors come to guide them to StarClan, leading them to a new life. This is a collection of oneshots about cats deaths, after their last breath, and their journey to StarClan and the world above the forest. R
1. Yellowfang: To Never Forget

**Path to the Stars **

_Chapter 1: __**Yellowfang: **_To Never Forget

Yellowfang awoke to a familiar scent: Fireheart! She felt herself losing strength but she knew she must tell the deputy her secret. She called out to him, her voice scratchy and wizened. She knew her lungs must be blackened with smoke.

Fireheart raced into her den, his green eyes wide with fear and hope. Yellowfang could barely comprehend what he was saying. She struggled to keep her eyes open as she stared at Fireheart. She was glad he'd be the last thing she saw.

"You're a brave warrior, Fireheart," Yellowfang said fiercely, "I could not be prouder of you if you were my own son. And StarClan knows how many times I have wished that were, instead of...Brokentail."

She had said it. Finally. Taking in a deep shuddering breath, Yellowfang continued. "I killed him. I poisoned him. I wanted him to die." She broke off into a fit of coughing.

"Let me fetch you some water." Fireheart was watching her with a growing look of dread in his bright eyes. Yellowfang tried to purr but her throat was too dry and damaged.

"Water's no use to me now. I want to tell you everything before I-"

"You're not going to die! Tell me what I can do to help you."

Yellowfang spat back and forth with the ginger-pelted tom for another moment, secretly enjoying the relay. It reminded her of when Fireheart had first found her. Her eyes clouded over in sadness. She was getting weaker by the moment. Yellowfang knew StarClan was calling but she had to tell Fireheart one last thing; the last thing she'd ever say to another living cat.

"Thank you for bringing me to ThunderClan," she mewed, her dimming eyes glowing briefly with happiness, "Tell Bluestar I have always been grateful for the home she gave me. This is a good place to die. I only regret that I will miss watching you become what StarClan has destined you to be."

As Yellowfang's vision faded away, she allowed her scorched lungs to take in one last breath before stopping completely. She fell into darkness, Fireheart's face burned into her mind as she slipped away into oblivion.

The next moment Yellowfang arose. Was she dead? Where was StarClan? She could only see darkness. Suddenly, a warm aroma she remembered from when she had first entered ThunderClan, made its way into her scent glands. Spottedleaf! The delicate tortoiseshell she-cat appeared before her slowly, her starry pelt see-through and silvery.

"Welcome," Spottedleaf said warmly, looking directly at Yellowfang, "you are safe with us now."

Yellowfang felt her body grow lighter and lighter until she left the shell of herself behind, her new star-studded fur glistening with the sudden reappearance of light. Yellowfang purred as she realized she felt ten times younger. She stepped forward to greet Spottedleaf, strangely happy to be leaving the material world behind.

"I am ready for StarClan's judgement," Yellowfang said softly, feeling completely at ease in the presence of the other medicine cat.

"Don't be silly, Yellowfang," the tortoiseshell said, her sparkling whiskers twitching in amusement, "you shall not be judged. Every cat knows what you did, you did for your Clan. You were a brave and loyal medicine cat. Now come, StarClan awaits you."

Yellowfang croaked out a thank you, relief washing over her. She had hoped StarClan wouldn't punish her for her actions against her only son. She shouldn't have been worried. She followed the dappled-coated she-cat upward, into the expanse of sky above her. Yellowfang did not look back.

"There's someone who's been waiting for you," Spottedleaf said softly, when the two cats had reached a level place in the clouds. They were far above the ground and Yellowfang noticed a sliver in the sky, a gap that pulsing with friendly light.

Following Spottedleaf, Yellowfang bounded into the hole in the sky, letting the tingling sensation spread across her body. When she opened her eyes, she was by the edge of a forest that looked almost exactly like the one that covered the Clan's territories.

Standing in front of her, his huge eyes shining, was a cat Yellowfang thought she'd never see again.

"Raggedstar!

The tom purred in delight as Yellowfang ran her muzzle along his jaw. She hadn't realized how much she missed him until now. "How did I live without you?"

"I missed you, Yellowfang," Raggedstar said, his voice deep and warm.

Yellowfang pressed her cheek against her mate's face, a growing feeling of belonging reaching through her veins. She mewed in bittersweet pleasure. She'd left Fireheart and her Clan behind, but was now greeting an old love.

A comforting breeze rustled through the forest's leaves, brushing the two cats closer together. Yellowfang closed her eyes. She hadn't really died. Her soul's life was just beginning.

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**How'd you like the first chapter? Review please!! And I'm open to suggestions about which cat to do next. **


	2. Runningwind: Remembrance

_Chapter 2: __**Runningwind: **_Remembrance

Runningwind attempted to shy away from Tigerclaw's strong swipe but it was too late. The warrior's claws raked across his face and spun him around, knocking him to the ground. Runningwind gasped in pain as Tigerclaw pressed his paw against his throat, cutting off his supply of air. The lean brown tabby struggled underneath his attacker's weight but he soon realized it was useless. The former deputy of ThunderClan was much bigger than Runningwind and even though life as a rogue seemed to be treating him harshly, he was still a formidable opponent in battle.

Behind the massive tabby's head, Runningwind was vaguely aware of the leering faces of other rogue cats, circling the two toms eerily. His jaws parted in a vain attempt to gather air into his squashed chest, and Runningwind let out a pained wail.

Tigerclaw bent down over Runningwind and put his sharp teeth next to the tom's ear. His hot, sour breath washed over the warrior's face and made him wince in fear.

"Tell Redtail I send my regards," Tigerclaw whispered, rustling his ear fur.

Runningwind barely had time to realize his death was imminent before Tigerclaw sunk his fangs into his neck. Runningwind's last breath was cut off short as the pain shot throughout his slender body. His frame slumped over and Tigerclaw let go of the dead warrior, stepping off his cooling body.

"Let's go," he hissed to the other rogues, who turned tail and darted off into the shadows of the trees.

Runningwind watched the murderous tom race off into the bushes with a spiteful glare. He made to run after the ex-deputy but something stopped him. He turned and stared in horror at his own still body lying on the forest floor, crumpled sadly over the grass. The trees seemed to blur before his eyes as Runningwind gaped at his torn figure.

"What's happening?" he blurted out, panic starting to set in. Was he really dead?

"Greetings, Runningwind," a gentle voice said.

Runningwind turned his head to see a familiar dark tortoiseshell tom with a bushy fox-colored tail padded toward him, his silvery amber eyes glistening with a mixture of sorrow and pleasure.

"Redtail," murmured the fallen warrior, "I really am dead then."

"StarClan is waiting for you," Redtail replied, reaching the stunned warrior.

Redtail touched Runningwind's nose with his own and the brown tabby felt a warmth spread through his limbs, giving him a surge of revival. He had missed his old deputy greatly and was happy to see him again. He just didn't want to be dead.

"You shall get used to it, I promise," Redtail said soothingly, brushing his fluffy, star-scattered tail against Runningwind's pelt.

Runningwind nodded reluctantly before meowing, "I just wish I could have lived a little bit longer. I'm still young..."

"I know. But we have no control over when our deaths arrive. We must trust StarClan to know when our time has come," Redtail responded, glancing sadly at Runningwind's thin form lying on the floor.

"I don't know if I'm ready to leave this forest," Runningwind worried, realizing for the first time that he was floating gently over his body, his paws almost touching the wind-blown blades of grass. He was also surprised to notice a black tom bending over his body, sniffing at it hesitantly.

"You are afraid," Redtail observed quietly, ignoring the presence of the black tom, who seemed to not notice the StarClan cat and the recently deceased warrior hovering above him.

"Yes," Runningwind admitted, "will the Clan even remember I existed in a few moons?"

"I know one cat who will remember you forever," Redtail said, nodding his head to a orange shape bursting through the undergrowth near Runningwind's body.

Runningwind watched, startled, as Fireheart tore to the dead warrior's side, his eyes wide and frightened. The ThunderClan deputy pounced on the black tom's surprised form, placing his paws on the other's chest and spitting at him.

"Fireheart," Runningwind said wonderingly, watching as Fireheart chased the black tom away from his still body.

"He is the kind of cat who will never forget a Clanmate," Redtail predicted.

Runningwind turned back to Redtail, his eyes sparkling with a new confidence. He had felt warmed to see Fireheart. Runningwind suddenly knew that he would always have a place in ThunderClan.

"Are you ready to go to your new home?" Redtail asked, his whiskers twitching with understanding.

Runningwind looked up at his old deputy and met his glowing amber eyes with reassurance. He glanced once more at his old body before mewing firmly.

"Yes."


	3. Snowkit: Existence before Essence

**[A.N. Thanks to Cloudfire for the suggestion of doing Snowkit. Please keep reviewing and reading! Next chapter will be Swiftpaw.**

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_Chapter 3: __**Snowkit: **_Existence Before Essence

Snowkit couldn't hear the flapping of the hawk's wings but he could feel the thorn-sharp claws gripping his tiny white body painfully and he could see the ground vanish beneath him as they flew up higher and higher. He had stopped struggling and was watching in terror as the forest where he grew up disappeared from view. He opened his pale mouth and attempted to cry out for his mother but to no avail; his mouth was dry and he couldn't even hear his own voice.

The hawk seemed to be aiming for a tall pine tree among the unfamiliar landscape below them. Snowkit glanced up at the bird carrying him, its brown wings pumping up and down ferociously, its yellow eyes glaring at its catch as it made its descent to the pine tree.

The sun beat down upon the white kit's head as the hawk landed among the topmost branches of the tree where a large nest made of branches and twigs balanced precariously.

Snowkit was dropped in the center of the nest and he trembled in his fur as the hawk approached him, its shiny beak glittering cruelly in the sunlight. Snowkit squeezed his eyes shut, hoping somehow that he would be saved. He could hear no sounds but he smelled the hawk's raw breath as it hopped closer to him.

A moment later Snowkit felt the sharp stab of the bird's beak. He collapsed to his paws and shuddered as he felt warm blood pour out from the wound the bird had created on his chest. Suddenly, the pain receded and Snowkit found himself falling into darkness.

Had the hawk tossed him out of its nest? Snowkit couldn't bear to open his eyes as he hurtled through the air endlessly. Finally, not being able to take it anymore, Snowkit forced his blue eyes open. He gaped at the sight that befell his eyes. He was plummeting through a sky filled with stars that shone sweetly at him as he shot past them.

Snowkit looked down and saw a black expanse below him. He cried out, louder than ever, but his words stumbled over his tongue, not used to speaking. He couldn't hear anything, but the silence of the night was pressing down upon his ears.

Suddenly, without warning, he landed on something downy and soft, his downward drop interrupted. Snowkit glanced around, amazed. He had landed on a small cloud, strangely firm beneath his paws. Snowkit sniffed the air with caution. He could smell nothing but the cold scent of rain and a breeze carrying stardust.

The next moment, a golden light descended next to Snowkit on the cloud and formed itself into the shape of a huge tomcat. Snowkit was surprised to find that he wasn't frightened of this cat, in fact he felt safer and comforted by the appearance of the golden-furred tom. The cat before him had a thick pelt and narrow green eyes. Snowkit thought he smelled vaguely familiar.

The cat opened his mouth and said something to Snowkit, who cocked his head at the other tom quizzically. The golden warrior looked surprised and then sorrowful as he watched the white kit shake his head. The tomcat knelt down so he was level with Snowkit's face. Then he gently breathed on the white kit's head, his hot breath enveloping Snowkit like a newleaf breeze.

"There. Is that better?" the golden tom asked.

Snowkit stared at the tom, amazed. He could hear him!

"Wh-whaph?" Snowkit mumbled, his words heavy with disuse.

"I've given you what should be rightfully yours; your hearing," the warrior said kindly, eyeing the kit, "my name is Lionheart."

Snowkit felt his stomach lurch in realization. "Am I dead?" he asked, spitting out each word carefully and patiently.

Lionheart licked Snowkit's head to comfort him. "StarClan is still with you, even though you are far from home. I am here to take you to your new life among the stars."

Snowkit scooted closer to Lionheart, eyeing the edge of the cloud suspiciously. He peered up into the golden tom's green eyes with trust. "Okay," he mewed agreeably.

"So young," Lionheart sighed, "you barely had a chance to live."

"I c-can hear," Snowkit stuttered triumphantly, his excitement flowing through his small white body, "Being p-part of StarClan will be my new life."

Lionheart looked at the kit with astonishment. "You seem very wise for such a young kit," he exclaimed, "I am proud to know that I share your kin."

Snowkit purred. He hadn't known that this dignified, strong warrior was related to him! He was slightly cheered, knowing that at least he wasn't alone.

"Can we go to StarClan n-now?" asked Snowkit, scrambling to his feet in excitement.

"Yes, of course," Lionheart said gently, rising to his star-filled paws. He glanced at the fluffy white kit as he smoothed down his fur with a few licks. Snowkit was too little to realize the importance of life, therefore he was bound to be more active and wise in death. Lionheart's whiskers twitched in amusement as the kit bounded to the edge of the cloud they were perched on, fears and memories of his harsh past forgotten with the exhilaration of a new adventure.

"Just like any other kit," Lionheart murmured.

Snowkit's blue eyes twinkled up at the golden tom, brighter than even the stars surrounding them. He mewed in anticipation and kneaded his paws in the soft fluff of the cloud. Snowkit smiled to himself. He had never felt so alive.


	4. Swiftpaw: Ripped

**Let me just say that this chapter was extra hard to write since I really hated the scene where Fireheart and his patrol find Swiftpaw's body. It's so sad. Anyway, next chapter I believe I'm doing Lionheart and then possibly Tigerstar. Yay! (And I am trying to go in a somewhat chronological order, so please don't ask me to do any cat from POT or TNP. At least not yet. I'll get there though.) So please leave lots and lots of reviews! **

**EDIT: I got a review saying that Swiftpaw and Brightheart were siblings but to clear things up, they were not related AT ALL. If you go to Erin Hunter's website, they have family trees of all the cats. Brightheart and Swiftpaw are _not_ brother and sister. I do believe that Swiftpaw loved Brightheart. It was good that _Rubyrose_ brought this up though because it was something that needed to be clarified. Thanks for reading! **

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_Chapter 4: __**Swiftpaw: **_Ripped

Swiftpaw tried, he really did. But the giant black-and-tan monster was too quick, too strong, too bloodthirsty. Swiftpaw felt a rush of horror as the dog's wide, slobbering jaws opened and shot down towards him. Swiftpaw darted to the side, his black and white pelt flashing. The dog was faster. Swiftpaw let out a long scream of agony as he felt the animal's long teeth sink into his fur.

Swiftpaw felt himself being lifted into the air by the dog and shaken back and forth violently. As the world spun before his eyes, Swiftpaw felt a stab of pity for Brightpaw. Where was she? Had the dogs already killed her? He hoped she had the sense to run for her life and escape.

Swiftpaw felt his strength ebbing away and with a final burst of red light that engulfed all of his senses, his body drooped and sagged in the dog's mouth. Then everything went black.

When Swiftpaw came to, he was standing next to a sad-looking, limp body of a cat lying in the middle of Snakerocks. He nosed the body, confused. The cat was obviously dead, but it looked a great deal like himself. Cocking his head, Swiftpaw crouched down besides the dead cat and sniffed at it curiously.

The scent hit him like a Twoleg monster, smashing him with realization and despair. The dead cat on the ground was him. Meowing in hopelessness, Swiftpaw attempted to nudge his own still body, praying to StarClan that he was dreaming.

"Swiftpaw," a light voice called. The voice sounded like a rainbow; many different colors combined into one being, gently echoing along his consciousness, calming his fragile nerves and soothing his bristling fur.

Turning his head slightly, Swiftpaw caught sight of a dappled calico cat, bounding across the blood-stained grass towards him.

"Who are you? Will you help me? I-I think I'm dead," cried Swiftpaw, rushing to the calico she-cat.

"My name is Spottedleaf. I used to be the medicine cat for ThunderClan," the she-cat said quietly, licking Swiftpaw's ear with her tongue. "And I will help you. I am here to escort you to StarClan."

Swiftpaw felt a great swell of emotions rising up in his chest. "No," he mewed desperately, "I can't die now! I'm only an apprentice. I didn't get my warrior name! I-I need to live."

"Swiftpaw, life begins and ends like the rising and falling of the sun; it cannot be stopped," Spottedleaf explained kindly, "your time has come."

Swiftpaw shook his head frantically and took a step back, suddenly noticing that his fur had turned a pearly white color, his paws sparkling with what looked like small stars. He didn't want to die. He couldn't die! Swiftpaw made to turn and run back in the direction of ThunderClan camp but something stopped him.

A small white and ginger cat lay on the ground, a little whiles away from him. Her face was ravaged and bleeding. Her body was torn and bitten with wounds. Swiftpaw felt bile rising in his throat.

"Brightpaw..."

He threw himself at the she-cat, pressing his nose to her fur, breathing in her scent. She couldn't be dead. This was all his fault! He'd made her come with him!

"She's alive," Spottedleaf said, her melodic voice barely above a whisper.

"What? Are you sure?" Swiftpaw was amazed. How had she survived?

"She is alive, but she's hovering between the line of life and death," Spottedleaf said sadly.

"What can I do?" demanded Swiftpaw.

"Leave," Spottedleaf said simply, "come with me to StarClan. Your presence is making her spirit confused."

"What do you mean?"

"She wants to be with you," Spottedleaf murmured, "if you stay here and torment her soul, she will die too, so she can follow you to the stars. If you leave with me, there is a good chance she will survive."

Swiftpaw looked down at Brightpaw. Her chest was moving slightly as her body automatically took in air for her smashed lungs. He felt conflicted. If he stayed, Brightpaw would come and join him. They could go to StarClan together! Swiftpaw shook his head abruptly. What was he saying? He didn't want Brightpaw to die as well. There was only one thing for him to do.

"Okay, let's go," he said, his voice choked up with emotion.

Spottedleaf licked his cheek sympathetically. "You are doing the right thing," she breathed in his ear, "she can live to see another day."

As Swiftpaw began to ascend into the sky, led by Spottedleaf, he couldn't resist looking back once more. Brightpaw was still lying in the clearing. But now a white tom crouched over her, clearly upset, meowing frantically to a ginger cat who'd been inspecting Swiftpaw's body.

_Fireheart and Cloudtail, _Swiftpaw realized. He felt surprised that he felt no resentment towards either cat. He looked sadly as Cloudtail gently licked Brightpaw's bloodied head. Swiftpaw sighed.

"You are right for her," he whispered to Cloudtail, knowing the white warrior couldn't hear him.

Then he turned his back on the cats in the clearing and ran after Spottedleaf, into the sky, and into the paws of the bright stars waiting for him.


	5. Lionheart: Bravery From Above

_Chapter 5: __**Lionheart: **_Bravery From Above

Lionheart's fur was clotted with drying blood, his head was spinning even though he was lying on the ground, and he could feel his energy ebbing away by the second. He was dimly aware of a calico cat bending over him, inspecting his body with her pink nose. Lionheart was only able to recognize her from the scent she emitted.

_Spottedleaf, _he thought, _I must be very close to death if she is here. _

A hair-raising wail reverberated across the clearing of ThunderClan and the next moment Lionheart realized his apprentice was crouching besides him, his wide eyes brimming with shock and sorrow.

"Graypaw," Lionheart managed to choke out, "you will be a wonderful warrior."

"Don't talk like that," the gray tom whispered, "it sounds like you're-"

"Dying," Lionheart finished for him, "well I am. Listen to me, Graypaw. You are an amazing cat. I am proud to have mentored you."

Lionheart saw blackness creeping in from the corners of his eyes. He let out a long and final breath. He knew it was time. Lionheart forced himself to look once more into Graypaw's pained eyes and then slowly withdrew into himself, his heartbeat stopping completely. For a moment, everything was black, surrounding and engulfing Lionheart like a blanket of heather.

When the blackness cleared away, Lionheart was standing above Highrock, looking down at the scene below him. Bluestar's drooping tail and Graypaw's silent yowl told him that the other cats knew he was gone. Strangely, Lionheart could not hear anything from the ThunderClan cats beneath his paws. The world was quiet and although the clearing below was obviously bustling with sounds and cries, Lionheart could hear none of it.

"Lionheart," a familiar voice called out.

The golden tabby turned around, unwillingly to take his eyes off his mourning Clan. He was unsurprised but pleased to see his old friend and deputy, Redtail, standing before him, his bushy scarlet tail glittering with all the stars in the sky.

"Hello Redtail," greeted Lionheart softly.

"I had hoped I wouldn't see you so soon," Redtail said slowly, casting his eyes upon the empty tabby body next to Highrock, "your Clan will miss you."

"I can only hope they'll hold me in their memories like they did with you," Lionheart responded sadly, noticing that his golden pelt was starting to become coated in a light sheen of stardust.

"Lionheart, trouble is coming to ThunderClan," Redtail said quickly, "a dark presence will rise to claim the forest and this Clan _must _prevail."

Lionheart's hackles bristled warily. "Can I do anything to help?" he asked.

"No, we can't do anything," Redtail sighed, "it is up to the cats in the forest to overcome this evil themselves."

"So are we to sit back and do nothing?" Lionheart demanded, anger burning inside his stomach. He couldn't watch the Clan he loved fall to ruin.

Redtail shook his head and meowed firmly, "We will not abandon our Clanmates. There has been and always will be, five Clans in this forest. StarClan will stand by their side."

Lionheart stared at Redtail, measuring his words. The truth rang out around him. He knew that he would have to trust himself, Bluestar, and all of StarClan. Lionheart dipped his head in agreement and stepped towards Redtail, his paws making no indentations on the invisible floor he was standing on.

"I must have faith in StarClan," he murmured, "after all, I am a member of it now."

Redtail licked his friend's shoulder warmly and waved his tail in a series of planned movements. Lionheart watched with wide eyes as a silvery slope appeared in the sky, leading right up into the blue expanse above them.

"Is this the way to StarClan?" he asked, his voice trembling a little.

"Yes," Redtail said, looking sympathetically at Lionheart, "do not be afraid."

Lionheart nodded and placed one golden paw on the inclined slope running up into the air, breathing a sigh of relief that it held his weight. With an encouraging glance from Redtail, Lionheart began his long ascent into the sky, only looking back once at the forest that held the Clan he loved more then life itself, the Clan he'd died for.

_Goodbye Graypaw, _Lionheart thought, _I will see you again someday, far ahead in the future. _

With that, Lionheart began to run, his strong legs pounding noiselessly against the star-studded path, a cool breeze blowing into his face. He was ready to join StarClan.


End file.
